How to Gain Weight Immediately

There are a variety of reasons for which people are interested in gaining weight. You may want to increase your body weight for aesthetic purposes or may need to for health reasons. Gaining weight requires that you consume more calories than you burn in any given day. Every time you create a calorie surplus of 3,500, you will gain one pound. In order to prevent this weight gain from coming in the form of fat and to gain body weight in the form of healthy lean muscle, you must also participate in an aggressive training program.

Things You'll Need

  • Weight training equipment
  • Scale
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Step on a scale to weigh yourself and record your starting weight. Weigh yourself on the same day once per week. As you progress through the weeks, you will be able to monitor your weight gain.

    • 2

      Determine how many calories you burn every day. Use an online calculator or smartphone application that uses your current body weight and your typical activity level to estimate how many calories your body uses.

    • 3

      Consume 500 more calories than you burn every day. Monitor your caloric intake and make adjustments to your eating habits as necessary. The American Council on Exercise recommends eating three large main meals and carting around snacks to consume throughout the day in between your meals. By taking in 500 more calories than you burn every day, you will create a calorie surplus and gain weight at a healthy rate.

    • 4

      Lift weights four days per week. On Mondays and Thursdays, concentrate on your back, legs and biceps. On Tuesdays and Fridays, develop your chest, shoulders and triceps.

    • 5

      Complete 6 to 8 exercises during each weightlifting session. For your back, legs and biceps, complete squats, lunges, deadlifts, calf raises, lat pulldowns, pullups, rows and bicep curls. For your chest, shoulders and triceps, do chest presses, pushups, chest flys, shoulder presses, lateral raises, tricep extensions and tricep pushdowns.

    • 6

      Perform each exercise at a volume of 4 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions each, resting 1 to 3 minutes in between each set.